Doomed to Obscurity, Interlude the First
by ilcantodelvento
Summary: Spanning the six years between the end of Doomed to Obscurity, Part I, and the beginning of Braska's journey.


I laid there for a long time, so long that I must have eventually blacked out, because next thing I knew, Kimahri was shaking me awake.

"Guardian, get up," he said. "Guardian alive?"

I sat up. "Yes."

"Guardian come with Kimahri to mountain gate," he said. "Ronso will make better."

I slipped Alex's sphere into my pocket. "I don't know about that."

Before Kimahri led me down Gagazet, I piled up some rocks at the site of Alex's death, and placed her summoning rod within it, so it was sticking out a little. I cried as I stacked the heavy stones, and prayed in front of the monument. The sunlight was warm on my back as we made our way back to the mountain gate, but I could barely feel it. I did not know if I would ever be able to feel again, to laugh as I once did. All I felt was emptiness.

:::

After taking a few days to rest at Gagazet, the Ronso calling me only "Guardian," I went back through Macalania to Bevelle and knocked on Braska's door. Thankfully, he answered.

"Auron?" he asked. "What are you doing here? Where's Alex? Have you defeated Sin?"

I tried to speak, but no words came from my lips. I just started crying.

"Mara!" he called. "Come on, Auron, let's get you inside. Tell me everything."

When Mara had come to the family room, I told them of what had happened at Gagazet. Both had shocked looks on their faces afterward; Mara got up and left the room, her eyes glazing over. Braska came over to me and gave me a long hug.

"Auron…" he said softly. "I… I am so sorry. I cannot possibly imagine what you're going through."

"No," I whispered.

"You're welcome to stay here as long as necessary," he said. "Take as long as you like, truly. And, hey—I hear they're looking for a new warrior monk at the temple."

"They never are."

"Well, I'm sure they'll take you on if you simply present yourself to them," he said, breaking the hug. "Do you… do you wish to stay in the same room as before?"

"Yes," I replied quickly. "I do."

Braska took me to the room, and wordlessly closed the door as I looked around it, remembering all those nights with Alex, remembering Paine's birth…

_Maybe this was not such a good idea._

I took the sphere out and sat on the bed, watching it over and over again.

:::

Shortly thereafter, I joined the Bevelle temple, unwilling to go back to the one in Besaid, even if it was where a familiar face—Kinoc—was. I wanted to stay by Braska, Mara, and Yuna, in that room where I had slept next to my wife, where my daughter was born. I visited the Chamber of the Fayth often, as well as that one special tree in Macalania Woods.

For the next six years, I studied the scriptures religiously, lived in them, dreamt of them. They were my life; I _had_ to find a way to defeat Sin, and hopefully for good, and I was going to read every line, discover every nuance, connect every hint, until I figured out what that was. I not only owed it to Alex and Paine—I owed it to Spira.

One day, though, my reading was interrupted by one of the priests, who knocked at the door of the room I stayed in while not with Braska and his family.

"Auron!" he called.

"What is it?"

"You have visitors."

"Braska?"

"No," he called. "They say they're from Besaid."

"Besaid?" I asked, taken aback.

"Yes. Do you know anyone from Besaid?"

"Yes," I confirmed. "I will be out momentarily."

"I will inform them," he said. I heard his footsteps as he walked away, their echoing sound fading off.

"From Besaid…" I said, putting my book aside. "Who could it be?"

I felt strangely nostalgic as I left the little room and wove my way through the halls of the temple to the main chamber. Waiting for me was Kappo, Staravia, and Kinoc.

"Auron!" Kinoc said when he saw me, giving me a hug. "You've been such a stranger, for the past… what is it now, six years?"

"Not quite," I chuckled, hugging him back. "Guess that makes us twenty five now, huh?"

"Old men," he laughed.

"Hi, Auron," Staravia said shyly from beside her father. I wondered if it was even possible that she could have changed from the annoying little child she was when I saw her last; that was all I had ever known her to be, after all.

"Hello, Staravia," I said, waving at her. She blushed crimson. "How have you been?"

"Not… too bad," she replied. "And you?"

"Busy," I replied. "I have been reading and re-reading the teachings since my journey… ended," it still took a fair amount of strength to keep from crying at the thought, "looking for a way to defeat Sin."

"Do you live here in the temple, as you did when you were in Besaid?" Kappo asked.

"I do not usually sleep here," I answered. "I have some friends here in Bevelle, and I usually stay with them."

"How quaint," Kappo mused. "Well, Staravia?"

"Oh… yes, Father." She walked up to me. "Auron, there is something I would like to ask you."

"Yes?"

"Well… um, you see…"

"What my daughter means to say," Kappo took over. "Is that it has come time for her to choose a suitable husband."

I could already tell where this was going, and not one fiber of my being liked it. "Yes…?"

"Auron, I want to ask you… if you would be my… be my… husband," she finished.

"May I remind you, Sir Auron," Kappo said. "That there could be generous rewards for your acceptance of this proposal."

"And if I decline?"

"There could be… severe punishments," Staravia cut in, her voice much slyer than it had been a moment ago.

I sighed. _No, she has not changed at all._

"I am afraid I must decline," I said. "Yevon states that I am not allowed to marry."

"We will make an exception in this case," Kappo said. "I am sure Grand Maester Mika would allow it, even rejoice in it."

"Even so," I said, unwavering. "It is not my intention to take a wife."

"Are you quite sure of your answer?" Kappo inquired.

Kinoc walked briskly over to me. "What are you saying, Auron?" he whispered urgently. "You wanted to get to the top, right? You want this promotion? You wanna be a Yevon Defender instead of a measly warrior monk? It's a capitalized title, Auron! We've been working for this! They brought me here so I could compete against _you_ for the title of the next Yevon Defender!"

"Kinoc, I have my reasons, you're just going to have to trust that," I said. "No matter the repercussions."

"I swear, Auron, you've completely lost your marbles in the last six years," he muttered. "Well, it's your funeral."

"So be it."

Kinoc walked back over to Kappo and Staravia.

"Auron, may I speak with you in private a moment?" Kappo asked, attempting in vain to restrain the anger in his voice.

"Certainly," I said, following him to a private chamber.

"Are you absolutely, positively sure?" he asked. "I warn you, this will be the last time I ask."

"I am sure," I replied. "I will not take a wife."

"Then so be it," Kappo said, seething. "But mark my words, I will do anything in my power to make sure that you do _not_ get that promotion, that you stay a lowly warrior monk for as long as possible.

I glared at him. "Hmph. Do your worst."

"I will," he promised, turning on his heel and walking out the door. I followed after him, calm and collected as he marched a hysteric Staravia from the temple.

"Are you sure you know what you just got yourself into?" Kinoc asked.

"No," I said. "But I will be able to handle it, no matter what it is."

:::

That night I slept at the temple, catching up a little with Kinoc. The following day, I was called into the courtroom, where Kappo, Staravia, and Lord Mika were all gathered.

"To what do I owe this… unexpected honor?" I inquired, choosing my words carefully as I glanced between all three people.

"Please, Auron, stand on the platform there," Mika instructed. I did as I was told. "Now, do you have any idea as to why you have been summoned here?"

"Some," I muttered through clenched teeth, glaring at Kappo and Staravia.

"You have been called here due to a belonging of yours that documents a very serious transgression, very serious indeed," he continued, holding up Alex's sphere.

"What?" I asked, feeling my cloak lining for it. "I didn't let that out of my sight for one minute!"

"It matters not," Mika said. "What does matter is that we are now aware of it, and you have quite the decision before you."

"I have a decision?" I asked.

"Staravia has pleaded for you," Mika explained. I glanced up at her, and saw that she was crying.

"Has she?" I asked, understandably cynical.

"Your options are as follows," Mika continued. "You may choose to continue your ranking in Yevon and allow us to destroy the sphere—"

"NO!" I yelled.

"_Or,_" Mika continued, his voice reflecting more than a hint of annoyance at my outburst. "You may choose to keep it and remain a warrior monk for eternity. You would still be able to access the temples, of course, but you will never advance in rank."

"I will _never_ destroy that sphere," I said through gritted teeth. "No matter the repercussions."

"So be it," Mika said. "Kinoc!"

Kinoc stepped forward, dressed in new armor to go with the beard he had sprouted since I had seen him in Besaid. "Yes, Lord Mika?"

"Take this to Auron and see him from the temple," Mika said, handing the sphere carelessly to Kinoc. It infuriated me to see him handle the only memory of happiness I had as if it were merely gil. "If you will."

"Y-Yes, my lord," he said, bowing.

I met Kinoc outside the temple. He handed over the sphere, and I quickly stashed it in my pocket.

"I am… sorry about this," Kinoc said, hanging his head.

"As am I," I told him. "Your new gear?"

"For my training," he explained. "Yevon Defender."

"I see," I nodded. "Well, I suppose I will be off then."

"Yes," Kinoc said sadly. "Until we meet again, Auron."

"Until we meet again."

I turned and left the temple, my strides swift as I returned to Braska's home. He answered the door, Yuna by his side.

"Auron, glad to see that you're home," he said. "Did something happen?"

"I have been as good as excommunicated from Yevon," I said. "But it is no matter. I have read every teaching, every book, ever scripture, to the point where I could write them all from memory. The only thing I must do now is to think, and decode. Has Mara called yet?"

"No," Braska said, shaking his head. "I am beginning to get worried about her. I know she went to see her brother, who she has not seen in years, so she could bring him back to meet Yuna, but she hasn't called or made any form of contact."

"Well, it's only been a day, and she is going all the way to Bikanel," I pointed out. "She'll probably be there by nightfall, and call us from there."

"Yes, I suppose," Braska said. "Still, I do not have a good feeling about this."

:::

Later that afternoon, while Yuna was off at the temple to begin her education of Spira's past and Yevon's teachings, Braska and I were watching a blitzball match when a breaking news bulletin interrupted the program.

"We interrupt this program with a special news bulletin," the reporter said. "Reggi here at the news desk. We have just received word that Sin has attacked again, just off the coast of a small, seemingly deserted island in the southwest."

Braska's eyes widened. "An island?"

"There was a ship in the vicinity," Reggi continued. "It is feared that none of the passengers have survived—we will keep you updated as we receive word."

"No…" Braska said, shaking his head in horror. "No! MARA!"

We were both silent for a moment, absorbing the shock.

"Braska," I said softly. "I… I am so sorry."

"Mara…" he whimpered. "What am I going to do? What will I tell Yuna? How will _she_ take this?" He shook his head. "She's only seven, Auron."

"I know," I nodded. I could not help but sympathize with him, and remember how it had felt when Alex died.

I sat with Braska in silence until Yuna came home.

"Hello, Father!" she said brightly, skipping into the living room. "Has Mother called yet?"

"There…" he began, attempting to compose himself. "There is something I must speak with you about, Yuna."

Braska looked over at me, and I nodded in understanding. I left them quietly and retreated to my own room, where I stared out the window toward the temple, wondering how Braska would handle this… how _Yuna_ would handle it.

:::

The following day, Braska knocked on my door.

"Come in," I called, looking up from my book of teachings.

"Auron," he said. "I have decided to reprise my role as a summoner. I thought about it a lot last night, while I was comforting Yuna. I want to do it for Mara, and for Alex and Paine, and for Yuna… so maybe she can grow up in a world without Sin.

"I would like to ask you if… if you could reprise your role as a guardian."

"I would be honored, _Lord_ Braska," I said, chuckling a little at his new title. "But, what of Yuna?"

"Her aunt—my sister—lives just down the street," he explained. "After she comes home, I will help her pack and we will drop her off there."

"So, we are leaving tonight, then?"

"Yes."

"And… what of the _other_ part?" I inquired. "Do you think she'll be able to handle it? Losing both her parents so close to each other, and so young?"

"She's strong, like her mother," Braska said, a touch misty-eyed. "She will be able to take it, I know she will."

"If you are sure," I said.

"I am sure."

"Well, I will get the pack ready and stock up on supplies."

"Thank you, Auron," he said, bowing to me. "It means a lot to me."

"Straighten up, Lord Braska," I said. "_You're_ the summoner here, not me."

He stood up straight. "Very well, then."

Braska left the room, leaving me to organize my things. I grabbed my old travel canteen and filled it quickly, bringing it back to my room and setting it on a table. I then began to go through the pack, reorganizing things as I saw fit and taking stock of the items I had left over from my last venture. I then felt something odd—something that was not a vial or weapon—and pulled it out, my heart skipping a beat as I saw what it was.

Alex's necklace.

I did not know how long it had been in the bag, much less _how_ it had gotten there. Perhaps we had slipped it in there after Paine died. In any case, I had not seen it in years.

I kissed the beads, and felt a tear slip down my cheek. My beautiful family… it seemed their energy was infused into these beads.

I grabbed my canteen, and used the necklace to fasten it to my belt, instead of just a leather strap, as I had before. I felt somehow stronger as I finished organizing the bag, like I had Alex's drive and Paine's added to my own… as if they would be there to defeat Sin with me.

:::

That night, after Braska and Yuna had completed their lengthy, tearful goodbyes, Braska and I stood outside his sister's home and looked around the city's nearly vacant streets.

"Well, it is time," he said. "I wish to pray at the temple for a safe journey before our departure."

"Very well then," I said. "Let us go."

We made our way to the temple and entered through the front doors, the monks all casting us looks of disapproval as we stood before the statues of high summoners past.

"Why do I feel as if we are not welcome here?" I asked, feeling their stares burn me like fire.

"Pay it no mind," be advised as he prayed. I ran my fingers over the beads at my waist, then joined him in prayer, surrounded by the Hymn of the Fayth.

After only a few seconds of calm, quiet prayer, we heard the doors of the temple burst open, and we both turned to look. Three guards came through the door, attempting to wrestle a gruff-looking, shirtless man with fairly long, dark, oily hair and a huge tattoo on his chest into submission.

"I'm tellin' ya," he insisted, his words a tad slurred. "I'm from Zanarkand! I swear it! On my honor as a blitzer!"

"Save it for the high priest," one of the guards said, unamused.

"But I _am!_"

"Silence, heathen!" another guard commanded. "A man from Zanarkand? And especially one of _your_ caliber? Preposterous!"

They took him in the direction of the holding cells. Braska stood up, his gaze following the scene.

"What might that man's name be?" he asked a nearby monk.

"Jecht, or so he says," he replied. "He's been here a few days now. We caught him defecating on public property in a drunken stupor, and we've been holding him here until the high priest can find time to sentence him."

"Hmm…" Braska said, looking off thoughtfully into the distance.

"Lord Braska?" I asked.

"I shall be back momentarily," he said, following them down the hallway.

"Lord Braska!" I called. He did not turn around, so I followed, just behind him, and waited outside the doors of the holding cell room.


End file.
